Shared services is an increasingly popular strategy for manufacturers looking for a way to reduce costs and increase the efficiency and quality of their back office processes. In an area of business where effective allocation of resources and streamlined business processes are so important, taking the competency of your business process solutions software into consideration is imperative. The right software will complement your methods and make you better and happier when it’s around, reducing your costs and improving business processes as well as customer service. Your search doesn’t have to be long and difficult though – often the “Mr. Right” of software comes in the form of an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system.
ECM is extremely effective in accelerating paper intensive processes such as those found in HR and finance shared services, and it has all the qualities a good business process solution should have:
- Productive: ECM isn’t a couch potato, and it’ll take care of redundant tasks you don’t want to do. On top of that, it’ll do them well – process automation increases the accuracy of information while making it available faster. ECM uses an intelligent capture program to import information into your system and index it, eliminating time spent manually entering data so you can make better use of your valuable time. There are many other things you can automate as well, such as document routing and invoice processing.
- Encouraging: ECM makes you feel smart and capable by boosting your productivity and allowing you to perform to your full potential. With ECM, files are stored in a central repository and strategically indexed to make them easily navigable and keyword searchable. You won’t have to waste time searching for information, and you can greatly decrease the amount of missing or misfiled documents. Content will be easily accessible to anyone who needs it, allowing you to respond to customer inquiries faster and more accurately.
- Reliable: ECM can relieve the stress of adhering to compliance policies and staying audit-ready by facilitating document retention and providing a solid audit trail. It also hold employees accountable for their actions by maintaining a comprehensive history of document alterations. If all else fails at your shared services center, your ECM system will have your back.
With solutions that are tailored to your specific needs, ECM systems are literally made for you – they’re just waiting for you to notice them. If you want to learn more how ECM could benefit your shared services efforts by reducing your costs and improving your business processes, contact our process optimization specialists or download our Ultimate Guide to ECM below.